Earlier this month, when Nintendo revealed many of the final details about the worldwide launch of the Wii U, the company listed 50 games that would be available for the system in North America during a nebulous "launch window" that runs from November 18, 2012 to the end of March 2013. Today, Nintendo nailed down the Wii U's launch software lineup with a bit more detail, announcing 23 games that will be in stores when the system launches on November 18, with eight more available by the end of November.

Notably, heavily promoted Nintendo-developed titles like Pikmin 3, Wii Fit U, and Game & Wario will not be available on launch day, leaving just New Super Mario Bros. U and mini-game collection Nintendo Land to represent first-party development on day one. Ubisoft will be providing a few worthwhile launch-day exclusives for the system in the form of the charming Scribblenauts Unlimited and augmented reality horror game ZombiU, but Wii U owners will have to wait for other promising exclusives like Lego City: Undercover, The Wonderful 101, and Rayman Legends.

The vast majority of the games available for the Wii U on day one will be ports of games already available on existing systems. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is by far the most important of these, marking a true HD port of the game on a Nintendo system, but the Wii U version will necessarily be coming five days after the system hits PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on November 13. (UPDATE: the original article incorrectly stated that Call of Duty had been absent from the Wii in recent years)

And while it's heartening to see enhanced versions of games like Batman: Arkham City, Assassin's Creed III, Disney Epic Mickey 2, and Tekken Tag Tournament 2 rounding out the Wii U launch lineup, it's hard to see any of these titles being the "killer app" that convinces consumers to upgrade from a current HD system. Other ports of older games, like Mass Effect 3 and Madden NFL 13, will be even older by the time they arrive.

While the size of Wii U launch line-up is certainly impressive enough on paper, there doesn't seem to be many of the kind of exclusive, must-have titles that really highlight the system's strengths. Convincing consumers to plunk down hundreds of dollars on new hardware for this set of titles seems like it will be an uphill battle.

An updated list of launch window games for the Wii U, along with planned release dates, is as follows (launch day titles highlighted in bold):

Both of my kids are in grade school. Neither one of them has so much as uttered a word about the new Wii. Whether this is just that they are uninformed or that kids aren't showing much interest is open to debate. I will however say that they both knew about and were excited over the 3DS coming out earlier. That cost me.

My wallet and I agree that this general uninterest is a good thing. I'm 'Meh' about the unit myself.

Here's my biggest question: How the hell can there be a game called Wipeout 3 for the Wii U? That means there was at least two games before it. What happened to copyright? Since when can you just name games the same thing as other games? The Wipeout series has long been a 1st party Sony series, and Wipeout 3 was released for the PS1 way back in the day. (The Wii games are based on the (crappy) wet t-shirt TV contest thingaroo.)

Nintendo's planning to move hardware with NSMBU and NintendoLand in the short term, and third parties delivering *something* at launch is cause for optimism. Launch lineups are usually terrible, but this one is less terrible than most.

Here's my biggest question: How the hell can there be a game called Wipeout 3 for the Wii U? That means there was at least two games before it. What happened to copyright? Since when can you just name games the same thing as other games? The Wipeout series has long been a 1st party Sony series, and Wipeout 3 was released for the PS1 way back in the day. (The Wii games are based on the (crappy) wet t-shirt TV contest thingaroo.)

Here's my biggest question: How the hell can there be a game called Wipeout 3 for the Wii U? That means there was at least two games before it. What happened to copyright? Since when can you just name games the same thing as other games? The Wipeout series has long been a 1st party Sony series, and Wipeout 3 was released for the PS1 way back in the day. (The Wii games are based on the (crappy) wet t-shirt TV contest thingaroo.)

There's Wipeout, the video game and Wipeout, the TV show. The TV show license was given to Activision to make the game - there are different copyrights because both Wipeouts are two completely different experiences.

Yes, but which games will be available prior to Christmas? That right there is the imporant question.

Since the economy wont improve until Obama leaves office in January, I doubt Nintendo will lose many sales by not releasing prior to Christmas.

And this is why all Nintendo fans should vote Republican. Unless you remember the Reagan administration and the gaming industry collapse. Oh the two had nothing to do with each other, you say? Well then, perhaps this guy's just trolling.

"Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is by far the most important of these, marking the bestselling series' return to Nintendo systems after a long absence"

So a year is a long absence? MW3 came out at the same time on the Wii as the other systems. Same for Black Ops the year before. Both were decent ports (even if the graphics were rougher and some levels tweaked) by Treyarch. Most people don't know about them because Activision didn't market them well at all, but there's a dedicated player base for them.

Makes me wonder how little support Activision will have for BO2 on the WiiU, even if they're actually promoting it this time.

Yes, but which games will be available prior to Christmas? That right there is the imporant question.

Since the economy wont improve until Obama leaves office in January, I doubt Nintendo will lose many sales by not releasing prior to Christmas.

And this is why all Nintendo fans should vote Republican. Unless you remember the Reagan administration and the gaming industry collapse. Oh the two had nothing to do with each other, you say? Well then, perhaps this guy's just trolling.

Here's my biggest question: How the hell can there be a game called Wipeout 3 for the Wii U? That means there was at least two games before it. What happened to copyright? Since when can you just name games the same thing as other games? The Wipeout series has long been a 1st party Sony series, and Wipeout 3 was released for the PS1 way back in the day. (The Wii games are based on the (crappy) wet t-shirt TV contest thingaroo.)

Wow...I honestly didn't realize it wasn't the racing wipeout just from reading it. I thought "Wow, check this out! a new wipeout game on the Wii U!" Now that I know what it is I am thoroughly disappointed. I can't imagine how pissed I would be if I ordered it and it showed up at my house...

I'm not sure i understand what's so underwhelming about the line up. I'm interested in NintendoLand, ZombiU and Scribblenauts based on previews and write ups. I don't buy every single game available for a system when it launches, and the line up seems pretty diverse to me.

NSMBU will be great with friends, just as the previous one was. I've not played any of the recent Ninja Gaiden, nor Arkham City, but Arkham Asylum was excellent and I'm sure Assassin's Creed 3 will be the best console version based on how early Ubisoft started with the Wii U version.

If you wanted the latest and greatest CoD on a console, the WiiU version seems to be it, that already means it should appeal to those who like CoD. I'm not into it myself but I'm sure that'll sell systems.

Imho they've covered a lot of bases and should be applauded for it. Sure there's no big Zelda game but that's fine, i've still got Dark Souls on the PC to play through and Battlefield 3's latest expansion has kept me in there for ages. Maybe because in Australia it's now turning into spring/summer, there's no need for a massive pile of games as well. Either way I'm looking forward to the launch.

TL;DR version: I disagree wholeheartedly with the "underwhelming" description of the launch line up and with the article! I think it's a great line up.

"Convincing consumers to plunk down hundreds of dollars on new hardware for this set of titles seems like it will be an uphill battle." statement Kyle, to me the early adopters are already convinced, care to elaborate?

it's hard to see any of these titles being the "killer app" that convinces consumers to upgrade from a current HD system

I've seen this assertion before in the press, and I think you're barking up the wrong tree. Existing 360 and PS3 owners obviously won't find much value with re-releases of games they probably already own. That's obvious. It's obvious to Nintendo too, who clearly wouldn't expect gamers to repurchase these games just for some mildly enhanced gameplay mechanics.

Instead look at it from a different angle. Two angles. One: Wii owners who don't own one of the current HD consoles who are looking to move upwards, as per Nintendo's Blue Ocean strategy. They will have heard of, seen and maybe even played some of the so-called AAA titles but they won't own them. Two: 'hardcore' (bleh) gamers who already own these games who might look at the line-up featuring games they have already enjoyed and perceive potential value and longevity in the new system. They won't buy the games, but they might just pick up a new console on the promise of more just like that.

I have no idea if these strategies will work, but to dismiss them as 'silly Nintendo releases games we own' is a short-sighted view seemingly prevalent in the press.

How many people will look at the Wii U brand at the top of the box and confuse it with the Wii, buy the disc, take it home and find out it doesn't work in their Wii. Think of the install base the Wii has. It's not the core gamer demographic. These are the same people that bitch about not being able to play their Blu-Ray discs in their DVD player. The WiiU logo seems way too similar to the Wii logo to not cause confusion.

I realize that Ars isn't really centered in gaming, least of all console gaming, but this article isn't very good. As other commenter pointed out, CoD hasn't been really absent from Nintendo consoles and regarding the "uphill battle"... the thing is already sold out at many retailers...

Don't get me wrong, I do realize that Ars readership isn't really the target of the WiiU (it's impossible to read one of these articles without someone criticizing the machine about the supposed lack of graphics power), but still, it's be nice if the article mentioned that a lot of those "underwhelming" ports won't be so underwhelming to a lot of people. Not everyone has a PS3 and / or 360 and / or gaming PC.

Here's my biggest question: How the hell can there be a game called Wipeout 3 for the Wii U? That means there was at least two games before it. What happened to copyright? Since when can you just name games the same thing as other games? The Wipeout series has long been a 1st party Sony series, and Wipeout 3 was released for the PS1 way back in the day. (The Wii games are based on the (crappy) wet t-shirt TV contest thingaroo.)

Wow...I honestly didn't realize it wasn't the racing wipeout just from reading it. I thought "Wow, check this out! a new wipeout game on the Wii U!" Now that I know what it is I am thoroughly disappointed. I can't imagine how pissed I would be if I ordered it and it showed up at my house...

Even if these games doesn't interest people they won't be able to find a Wii U anyways, maybe the regular bundle, just maybe. By the time the Deluxe bundle is more readily available Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101 and other Launch Window titles will have been released. If I can score a Deluxe bundle before launch I'll go with NSMBU, but if not then I'll wait for Monster Hunter Ultimate.

I wish Nintendo well...but they won't be seeing Wii-like demand for this system anytime soon. I own all three current gen consoles, plus have 2 DS's and a 3DS between the kids...and none of us have any desire for Wii-U.

I realize that Ars isn't really centered in gaming, least of all console gaming, but this article isn't very good. As other commenter pointed out, CoD hasn't been really absent from Nintendo consoles and regarding the "uphill battle"... the thing is already sold out at many retailers...

It's essentially saying "I'm not interested in the WiiU for whatever reason, therefore no one is interested in the WiiU, which means it'll have an uphill battle at retail". But as you say, it's already sold out at many retailers and will probably be a very hard-to-find Christmas item. And if it tracks like the Wii, it may be sold out for many months to come. Should that happen, there'll be plenty of gamer rage as people who still aren't interested in the WiiU get to watch it dominate the next generation of consoles like the Wii dominated this one.

Honestly, how is this different from ANY console launch? The "Real" gamers gloat over how bad and doomed the launch is because obviously it doesn't even compare to whatever has already been on the market for months/years. It's not like they will only have one game on launch day. Now, I normally listen intently to business projections and market analysis from 16-24 year olds because clearly they know more than the people running these companies, but I think I will just ignore the chatter and enjoy my launch console when it arrives from Gamestop. Is it really so bad that people are buying these consoles to enjoy themselves?

Kyle Orland / Kyle is the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica, specializing in video game hardware and software. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He is based in the Washington, DC area.